Symbiosis
by AndromedaDelta
Summary: "It's a simple symbiotic arrangement: my mind in exchange for your body." AU Nejiten. Not for kids.
1. Chapter 1 - Fail

**Just so everyone's clear, this story contains adult content. It is not intended for children. Read at your own discretion 3**

**Chapter 1 – Fail.**

Tenten closed the transcript and quickly locked her phone. Ino and Sakura returned from the counter and sat down across from her.

_'Maybe there was some sort of database problem. I didn't think it was that bad.'_

"Hey Tenten, are you okay? You look like you're going to be sick." Ino remarked, gulping at her no-doubt sugar free iced tea.

Sakura felt for her forehead. "Did you get enough sleep over the exam period?"

"I-uh yeah-no, you know I really didn't. You know what it's like, we'll sleep when we're dead, right?" she laughed nervously.

Ino scoffed loudly. "At least it ends for you after undergrad. Med school is going to suuuuck."

Sakura hummed in agreement. "Sometimes I worry that we'll actually die. Like, fall asleep at the wheel or something."

Tenten rolled her eyes. "Actually, I'll probably end up doing a PhD."

"Well yeah but it'll be a PhD in _archaeology._" Ino quipped.

"Oh please, not this _'my degree is the only true degree'_ crap again. And it's _anthropology_ not archaeology."

"Whatever. We both know you'll spend half your time at some exotic locale looking at mummies and the rest of your time napping you lucky bitch." Ino poked out her tongue.

Tenten snorted and rolled her eyes. "I study weapons, Ino."

"Mummies had swords. So you admit you're basically majoring in HBO documentaries?"

"Ino, quit it. I'm sure Tenten's field has many valuable applications." Sakura interjected.

"Here comes Ms. Condescending to save the day."

"On behalf of the humanities, I humbly thank you." Tenten mock-bowed.

"You know what? You're on your own." Sakura raised her hands in defeat. "I have to go start packing. I can't believe I get to spend all summer listening to my mother tell me to clean my room."

"At least you're not being used for slave labour. Did you know there are over 26,000 accepted varieties of orchid?"

"I did not." Tenten replied.

"Well I know it and I will never be allowed to forget it." Ino sighed. "Well I'd better get going, too. Wait up Sakura!" Ino called out to the pinkette who was by now leaving the coffee shop. She turned to Tenten, her face softening.

"So are you sure you're okay? Did you get some bad marks back or something?"

She and Ino had only known each other for a year but the blonde had a talent for getting into peoples' heads.

"O-oh no I'm just having trouble finding somewhere to live, you know? The scholarship doesn't cover me for the summer!"

"Oh that's right, smartypants. Well… call me if you need any help I guess?" Ino gave her a genuinely kind smile and left.

The distraction of her friends gone, the lump in Tenten's throat returned. _'The scholarship might not cover me at all anymore…'_

* * *

STAT121: FAIL.

The mid-term should have been a warning sign. She hadn't done as well as she would have liked but wrote it off as a bad week and told herself she'd make it up in the final. It was only a first year statistics course, right? Just a box she had to tick to be on track to graduate at the end of next year. Only, the scholarship she was on would drop her like a hot pan with a fail on her transcript.

She knocked on the door of the head of the course and waited. Iruka was supposed to be a soft-touch, although after the exam she wasn't so sure that that was true.

The door opened and the friendly face of her lecturer greeted her. "Tenten, come in."

She followed him in and sat nervously in the standard issue wheelie chair next to his.

"So I'm assuming this has something to do with last semester's final exam?"

She took a deep breath. "Yes. I was wondering if it's at all possible that there was maybe some sort of error? Like, with the marking?" Her voice came out too squeaky for her liking.

He sighed. "We can review it with you but it's highly unlikely."

"Oh."

Her face felt numb. That's it, a fail would nuke her GPA and cut off her scholarship. She avoided his gaze and tried to keep from openly grieving her lost career in front of a teacher.

"You'll have to repeat the course next semester. Lots of students have trouble with statistics."

She shook her head and opened her mouth to reply but no sound came out. She felt the tears start to well up and looked at the ceiling to keep them from slipping out.

"It's going to be okay, Tenten. It's not the end of the world." He offered her a tissue.

She took it and pressed it to her eyes. Her voice returned to her shakily. "I'm going to lose my scholarship. I-I can't afford to c-come back next semester."

"Oh. I see."

_'That's it, no point in crying about it.' _She forced her emotions back into a hole until a wave of calm washed over her. She removed the tissue from her eyes and stood. "Well, thank you for your time." She turned to leave.

"Wait, hang on."

She turned back to him, a tingle of hope crept into her chest.

"I'll have a chat to the dean of studies. We might be able to figure something out given your circumstances."

"R-really?"

"_Might_. I'm not making any promises. Will you be staying in town for the holidays?"

"Yes. But not on campus."

"Okay, I'll email you."

"Thank you. Thank you so much. Have a great afternoon, sir."

"You're welcome, Tenten."

She left his office quickly and had to keep from sprinting down the hallway of the office building. With Iruka on her side, there was hope. She could fix this.

* * *

_Dear Tenten,_

_I had a chat to Tsunade about your situation. The mark on your transcript is final; it reflects the amount of study you put in and we are unable to make an exception for you. However, you may be allowed to remain with the scholarship program if you complete the following steps:_

_1.__Re-take STAT121 over the summer semester._

_2.__Complete every assignment with no late submissions._

_3.__Achieve a mark of at least 90%._

_Please find attached a copy of the class timetable. Let us know your decision before the weekend. I hope you understand that this is an enormous favour that Lady Tsunade is doing you. I would advise you to send her an email expressing your gratitude._

_Umino Iruka  
Deputy Head of Statistical Mathematics_

Tenten leapt and danced about her dorm room.

"I'm staying in school! Fuck yes! I love you, Umino Iruka!" She screamed at her laptop.

After finishing a liberally interpreted Gangnam style jig, she returned to the computer and replied to Iruka, confirming that holy fuck yes she was going to attend (minus the salty language) and composed a carefully worded thank you letter to Lady Tsunade. Finally, she opened the timetable and her spirits plummeted.

_ 'There are three lectures per week and three class hours and I work three jobs over this summer… I'm so not staying in school…' _she slumped against her wall, shell shocked. Her gaze drifted to the textbooks and folders full of photos of exotic weaponry littering every surface of her room. She felt a familiar fire well up within her. _'No. I need to do this.' _

She scrolled through the contacts list on her phone. She needed someone smart who could be talked, harassed or blackmailed into tutoring her pro-bono and who wouldn't rat her out to Sakura and Ino or, _heaven forbid, _Lee.

_'Bingo.'_ She called the number and waited. After the fourth ring, a groggy voice answered her.

"Mrph- what."

"Shikamaru, I'm calling in a favour."

* * *

"Heaps of students fail statistics. It's why they run it during the summer." Shikamaru was lying on the grass three feet away from a perfectly serviceable bench.

"So I hear. Can you help me or not?"

"No can do. I'm on family duty for the summer. Trust me, I'd rather spend the summer walking you through basic probability."

"Is that supposed to be a compliment?"

He shrugged and began chewing on a piece of grass.

"That's fucking disgusting." She flopped down next to him in defeat. "What am I going to do? All the smart people I know are gone for the summer."

"That's not my problem. You should have gone to the lectures."

"That's rich coming from a guy who only realised he'd taken the wrong course when he sat the mid-term."

"At least I passed it."

"Fucker."

"That's what they call me. Look, you could find someone to tutor you easy but you're looking for someone who'll do it for free. If the world worked that way then I wouldn't be wasting my time getting a four year degree so I can get a job where I get to sit down and don't have to lift anything." He moved to get up. "Sorry I couldn't be of much help. See you around."

Tenten shoved him hard in the chest, pinning him to the grass.

"Oof! What the fuck are you doing, woman?"

"No you won't 'see me around'. Not if I don't get 90% on this stupid course. I know you know someone who can help me, don't make me tell Ino why you missed her 20th this year."

"Jesus no." He groaned. When he finally spoke again, his tone was sober. "Okay, I might know _one_ guy. But trust me, you won't want to spend a summer with him."

"How do I contact him?"

"I'll send you his number if you let me go."

"Right. Sorry." She sat back on the grass and contemplated this mystery man. "Hey Shikamaru?"

"What?" He didn't look up from his phone.

"What makes you think he might tutor me for free? Is he just a really nice guy?"

"Fuck no. I just heard about someone who needed a tutor for cheap and he ended up doing it. It's a long shot but he might do the same for you. Provided you don't wrestle him with your terminator arms." He rubbed his chest. "Seriously, do you have some sort of genetic thing or were you just born a dude?"

She was about to punch him again when her phone bleeped at her. By the time she looked back up he had walked off across the court.

"Thanks!"

He didn't respond. She looked back at her phone.

_'Hyuuga Neji, huh?'_

**Ok so no booty in this chapter but come on, I'm not just going to give it away on the first date.**


	2. Chapter 2 - It's Business

**Thanks so much for the reviews. You guys are fantastic, I hope you enjoy this chapter. The next update will be a while away as I have exams this week.**

**On an unrelated note, did you guys know there is a function on that tells you where your views come from? Isn't that wild? Big shout out to my reader from Macedonia: I had to google your country. Nice lakes.**

**Chapter 2 – It's business.**

Tenten arrived outside the old, understatedly elegant brick and stone building of Hyuuga Men's College.

_'Of course the college is named after his family.' _She thought ruefully.

She pulled her beaten up smartphone out of her pocket and brought up Neji's number. She'd rung him the day before but she hesitated before calling him a second time.

He picked up after three rings. "Hyuuga Neji speaking." His voice was smooth and genial.

"Um, hi it's Tenten. I rang you earlier today. I'm, uh, outside."

"Ah. Wait there." The good nature had dropped from his tone and he hung up without waiting for her to answer.

She inspected the stonework above the doorway while she waited. She knew students who would be able to identify the artisan responsible. The inscription below the title of the building bore the phrase _'sit nomine digna'_. She pulled out her phone again and quickly googled it.

_'_'May it be worthy of the name'_? What the hell kind of motto is that?'_

Suddenly, the door opened and standing in front of her was a well-dressed, well-_built_ man with long, dark hair and Hyuuga white eyes complete with trademark penetrating gaze. He leant in the doorframe and looked her up and down.

"So you're retaking STAT121, huh?" He didn't look at her face, instead his gaze settled on the scuffed silk slippers she had bought at a weekend market.

"Uh yeah…"

"Who gave you my number?" He was eying off her maroon capri pants now. They hung loosely about her waist and had creased when she had sat down. She reflexively smoothed her hands over them, nervous energy pooling in her stomach.

"N-Nara Shikamaru."

"Hn." He raised an eyebrow.

"Is that a problem?"

He looked her in the eye finally and she wished he hadn't. It was like he was looking into her brain.

"Not specifically. I'm trying to ascertain why you were sent to me. I do not make a habit of tutoring students." He folded his arms and she felt a tingle of intimidation run up her spine. She set her jaw and straightened her back.

"Apparently someone else earned the honour of your company last semester. I hear your rates are reasonable."

"Not to everyone." He stated cryptically, reaching into his pocket and pulling out a slim smartphone.

"Look, I-I need help, okay? I can pay you back next semester. I can run errands for you and stuff. I don't know." She winced. She was clutching at straws but she didn't have much of a choice unless she wanted to choose between her career and food for the next three months.

"Are you suggesting an exchange of services?" He didn't look up from his phone.

"I… guess." She shrugged, reaching up to tug at the ribbon holding up one of her buns.

He smirked and continued to flick through his phone.

"Look, you could have just said over the phone that you won't do it. You're wasting my time." She was about to leave when he spoke again.

"Why haven't you asked your pre-med friends for help?"

Her mouth hung open for a few seconds. "P-pardon?"

"You have two fairly close friends in pre-med. Ino and Sakura must know several students staying over the summer who would be decidedly more likely to help you with your predicament than I."

"Wh-how do you know that?"

He held up his phone, her facebook open on the screen.

"Oh for fu- what the hell is your deal?" She blushed furiously.

"You didn't answer the question." He raised an eyebrow, smirk still firmly in place.

She hesitated. She hadn't told anyone except Shikamaru because she was supposed to be independent. It was bad enough all the ribbing she got for studying anthropology. To let her future doctor friends know that she was having trouble with it would be more than her pride could take.

"You don't want anyone to know you failed a first year course, do you?" He said mockingly.

She felt heat rise up in her cheeks. This guy was like an evil Ino.

Suddenly, he pushed off the door frame and walked smoothly inside. "Close the door behind you."

She blinked. '_What just happened?'_

He stopped at the foot of a narrow staircase and turned to look at her. "Are you coming inside or not?"

She only paused for a moment before rushing inside and closing the door gingerly.

* * *

His room was large, immaculately neat and surprisingly Spartan. There was the standard issue wooden furniture and a small square table with a single chair. No photos, no decorations, no personal effects aside from a few books stacked neatly on the table beside his single bed.

He pulled the chair out and gestured for her to sit. Only after she had settled did he pull his desk chair over and sit across from her.

"What did Shikamaru tell you about my… 'rates'?" He asked, straight faced.

"All he said was that the student you tutored was strapped for cash and yet managed to afford you. I guess I fall into that category."

He clasped his hands on the table in front of him and seemed to be deep in thought.

"That student and I had an arrangement that is unlikely to be to your tastes." He stated without looking up.

"What kind of an arrangement? I'm kind of desperate."

He let out a short laugh and looked down his nose at her. "I think your _pride_ would win out in this particular scenario."

"What, was she paying you in sex or something?"

He cocked an eyebrow but was silent.

"_Oh._"

_'Well there goes this idea…'_

He leaned back in his chair. "She was helping me with a predicament."

She rolled her eyes. "I guess most men would consider a lack of sex a predicament."

He ignored her barb. "There is a delicate business matter with which I require… unusual assistance. Are you familiar with the Hyuuga Family law firm?"

"…Yeah."

"Given my social standing, most people naturally assume I am the heir to the business. Unfortunately, it was my _uncle_ who was appointed head of the family and he will be succeeded by his daughter." He stood and walked slowly over to his desk.

"The Hyuuga are ordinarily strictly traditional in these matters, but the girl and her sister have shown little promise as legal or business professionals. They may be persuaded to make an exception."

"What does this have to do with you fucking undergrads in exchange for tuition?"

He shot her a withering look. "As I was saying: Hyuuga Hiashi may be persuaded to name me as his heir with a little outside pressure." He opened a drawer and retrieved a magazine. He handed it to her and continued.

"On the cover is Fukui Hisoka. She is the heir of Fukui Electric, the biggest customer of the Hyuuga Family. It is my intention to marry her." He clasped his hand behind his back.

The girl on the magazine was model-beautiful with pale skin, jet black hair, an elegant face and a severe, unreadable expression. She sat perched atop a throne made from column heaters, a silver crown on her head and her rail-thin body wrapped head to toe in power leads. The heading read _'The Future Queen of Power'._

_'Magazine covers are weird.' _Tenten grimaced. "It's a match made in heaven."

He raised an eyebrow. "It's a match made for business. Her family can exert enough pressure to have me rightfully appointed as the Hyuuga heir."

"And so banging students is going to win her heart?"

He gave her a blank look. "No." He leaned back against his desk. "Between classes, extra-curricular engagements and the social calendar, I haven't allowed myself time for many… sexual exploits."

She bit her cheek hard to keep from laughing.

He narrowed his eyes at her and lifted his chin slightly. "While I don't doubt my performance, I feel it prudent to perfect my technique."

"Wow. You know, that's actually pretty messed up." She couldn't suppress her grin anymore.

He straightened. "I told you the arrangement would not be to your liking."

"Yeah I have to credit your stellar judge of character there." She stood up and moved to shake his hand. "Well, thanks for the story. It's made my day."

He grasper her hand firmly. "You're welcome. I trust I can rely on your discretion?"

"Yeah, sure, whatever." She turned to leave.

"It would be a shame if the National Museum's main benefactor were to cut funding to… specific projects."

She stopped in her tracks and turned back. "What did you just say?"

"I believe I spoke clearly." He stared her down.

"So… why would I care about something like that?" She bluffed.

"You intern there during the summers. I believe you're helping to coordinate an exhibition this year."

"How did- _have you been on my facebook again!?_"

"You really ought to adjust your privacy settings."

She scoffed and threw her hands up in defeat. "I gotta say, I didn't know people like you actually existed."

"I'll take that as a compliment." He smirked.

"Of course you will." She muttered. "Well, thank you for your time I guess."

He gave a single nod. "I'll see you around, Tenten."

"Um… sure. See you around." _'As if.' _

He pulled his phone out of his pocket. "Be sure to close the front door on your way out." He dismissed.

_'Jerk.'_

* * *

_ 'Well, so much for that.'_

It was dark when Tenten arrived back at her college. She climbed the stairs slowly, cursing the tall concrete complex's broken elevator. She closed her eyes before she opened her door to avoid seeing the chaos. Packing was the second worst thing about the summer (unpacking was the worst). She tripped over a pile of books on her way over to her bed and flopped down heavily.

She was about to let herself drop off to sleep when her thoughts drifted back to Hyuuga Neji. She had to admit he was attractive. Not in the way that she'd found Uchiha Sasuke cute when she'd first seen him during O-week, though. Well-toned arms crossed over his trim chest and brows still elegant even when curled into a bitter scowl as a student leader tried to goad the crowd into a team-building activity. He'd turned on his heel and walked away shortly after and left the institution entirely a month later. She gave a girly sigh. Such a shame.

No, Neji was not Sasuke-cute. Standard strong jaw, high cheek-bones, dark brows: his features were handsome but unremarkable. His unusual eyes were more shocking than mesmerising. It was something in the way that he held himself that she liked. Confidence without bravado. Every move he made was smooth and deliberate as if handing her a magazine was just as important a gesture as running his hands down her…

_'NOPE.' _She sat bolt upright. _'Nope nope nope. Big old nope.' _She swung her legs off the bed and immediately tripped over her duffle bag on the way to her desk. She caught herself with her hand before her face hit the carpet.

"Shit!" She pushed herself back up onto her feet. "Nice going, Tenten." She picked her way over to the desk and sat down. She flushed furiously but reminded herself that no one was around to see it. Especially not Hyuuga Neji.

"'See you around' my ass." She muttered. "I'll never see him again if I can help it"

Suddenly, she remembered something important. She quickly logged on to her facebook and ramped her privacy settings up all the way.

_'Try and stalk me now, Hyuuga.' _She grinned.

A message appeared in the corner of the screen:

_Ino Yamanaka_

_hey lady how r u goin? found a place to live yet?_

She grimaced, remembering her lie to her friend. She had actually found a place the week previous.

_Wei Tenten_

_good. have some promising leads so far. when do you go home?_

_Ino Yamanaka_

_2moro morning :C_

_Wei Tenten_

_i won't see you before you go then :(_

_Ino Yamanaka_

_that's what fb is for! take lots of photos of weird swords for me_

_Wei Tenten_

_only if you send me photos of all of those orchids_

_Ino Yamanaka_

_u don't know what ur asking for trust me_

_u sure ur gonna be ok?_

_Wei Tenten_

_yeah i'm fine_

_Ino Yamanaka_

_ok we're only a couple of hours away if you need us!_

_Wei Tenten_

_i'll be fine! i can take care of myself you know! _

_Ino Yamanaka_

_loud and clear. well i gotta go. have fun packing! _

_xx_

_Wei Tenten_

_you too_

Tenten closed her laptop and sighed. It felt wrong to lie to Ino but it felt even worse to have to rely on other people to come and clean up her mess. She'd fix her grade before the summer was over and put it behind her like it never happened. The real question was: could she do it without Hyuuga Neji's help?

**Neji cometh! But what will Tenten do? Stay tuned. **


	3. Chapter 3 - Totally Not Considering It

**Extra-large post-exam update! Thanks for your patience and lovely words, you are the wind beneath my wings.**

**P.S.: I feel it prudent at this point to reiterate that this fic contains ADULT CONTENT, starting with this chapter. **

* * *

**Chapter 3 – Totally Not Considering It**

_The exam hall was full of students busily writing. Instead of silence, the room was filled with Iruka giving a noisy lecture about orchids. She raised her hand to object but he never turned around. She looked around her, no one else seemed to be bothered by it. She lowered her hand and opened her exam paper._

_'What is this? Am I in the wrong subject?' The paper was written in ancient Greek or something. She raised her hand again and immediately Iruka spun around to face her._

_"What is it?"_

_She opened her mouth but found that she couldn't speak._

_"Didn't you study? Tsunade gave you one chance."_

_"You should have gone to the lectures." One of the students in front of her replied. One by one, they raised their heads and turned to face her. It was Sakura, Ino and Shikamaru. She looked at Iruka but he didn't seem bothered with the other students._

_A sick panic rose in her chest as she flipped through the book. Nothing, she knew nothing at all._

_"It's not too late." A baritone voice spoke from behind her. She turned around to see Hyuuga Neji, hands clasped neatly on his desk. He leaned over until he was inches from her._

_"I know all the answers." He whispered. "You know the price." _

_She nodded._

_Suddenly she felt him spin her chair around until she was facing him. He placed his hands on the desk behind her, trapping her in between. _

_She raised her hands to push him away but her muscles wouldn't exert themselves. He leaned into her touch, his pale, calculating gaze penetrating her. He smirked._

_"What's the problem?" Lips brushing hers as he spoke. "You want it anyway."_

_Of course she did, she couldn't think of anything else._

_"Just say the word." _

_"Yes..." She breathed, finding her voice._

_"Again." He hissed._

_"_Yes."

_And then he was kissing her. Her whole body seemed to tingle in harmony with the rhythm of his lips and shivers of pleasure skittered from her neck down her spine and pooled in her groin. She squirmed in her seat and noticed for the first time that she was completely naked. She gasped and crossed her hands in front of her breasts. _

_Neji was unperturbed. He continued kissing her, moving from the corner of her mouth down her jaw in a slick trail before lunging for her neck and sucking hard. She lost her grip on her own voice and cried out in pleasure. _

_She heard something that sounded vaguely like shouting. It was Iruka. She didn't care anymore. She uncrossed her arms and buried her hands in Neji's long hair._

_Something was pressing between her legs now, was it his fingers? It must have been. They teased past her moist curls and slipped into her in one smooth motion. She bit her lip and parted her legs further..._

_"…WITH HIGHS OF 98 DEGREES. CHANCES OF A THUNDERSTORM LATER IN THE AFTERNOON…" _

_"What the hell!?" _

_Iruka was standing over her desk._

_"…STAY COOL EVERYONE. AND NOW OVER TO SPORTS." He bellowed._

_Suddenly she noticed that Neji had disappeared and she was wearing her pyjamas. _

_"What? Noo!"_

Her vision was blurry, she blinked the sleep out of her eyes and focused on the clock radio beside her bed.

_5:00_

She let her head flop back down on the pillow. Would the dream take up where it left off if she fell asleep again? Suddenly she realised what she was thinking and sat bolt upright.

_'You have got to be kidding me.' _She rolled out of bed, cursing her subconscious for betraying her while she had her guard down.

_'I don't need this. I do not need this.' _She carefully picked her way across her room and dug through her duffel-bag full of clothes to retrieve her workout gear.

_'Sex dreams are totally normal, right?' _She thought, struggling with her shorts. _'It's just the brain sorting through information.' _She tried to recall the conversations she'd had with Ino and Sakura.

_'He's probably the first guy in a while that I've been attracted to so it's totally understandable. I'll probably forget about it in a few hours, anyway.' _She decided, clipping her keys to her hip. _'I'm definitely not actually considering sleeping with Hyuuga Neji.' _

* * *

She loved the feeling of the temperate air rushing around her legs and midriff as she jogged. The sun had barely begun to rise but she knew that she was already keeping Lee waiting. It was their last game of one on one before he left to train at a Dojo in the suburbs and she wished she could have gotten up earlier to get more out of it.

"TENTEEEEEEEEEEEN!" She rounded the corner just in time to see the green mass of flailing limbs before he slammed into her.

It took her a while to get her breath back after the impact.

"Lee be quiet!" She coughed. "Normal people are still sleeping!"

"On a beautiful morning like this?" He stage whispered. "We should wake the whole world up, Tenten!"

She extricated herself from his crushing embrace before returning it gingerly, regretting the move when a stale waft of body odour met her.

"Ugh gross!" She whipped away from him. "You were supposed to wash that thing, remember!?"

He slapped his chest in pride. "The compression suit does not need to be washed, Tenten! It wicks away the moisture to keep you dry while you-"

"It wicks the sweat off of _you_ and then the gross stuff dries on _it_. How many times do I have to tell you? Can't you smell yourself?" She wrinkled her nose.

"All I can smell is impending victory!" He picked up the basketball and spun it on his finger. "Are you prepared to face me in this springtime of your youth, Tenten?" He struck a dramatic pose, ball still spinning.

She rolled her eyes but smiled in spite of herself. She had expected Lee to mellow after high school but college sports were even more intense about teamwork and had had the opposite effect.

"Lee, Sakura will never go out with you if you stink."

He deflated immediately. "I know, Tenten. She told me this herself."

She winced. "Ah… That stings… Do you really need to wear it every day, though? You have other clothes and you could wash it on odd days…"

He looked at her as if she had just shot him. "But I exercise _every_ day Tenten! And the compression suit provides support and comfort during vigorous movement by preventing sweat build-up and chafing! Additionally, a well-fitted compression garment may even improve circulation! You yourself have already been convinced of the benefits!" He gestured to the black compression shorts she was sporting.

She looked down at them. Truthfully, she liked the way they made her butt look but the 'no chafing' thing was a plus, too. "Well when you're right you're right but_ I_ don't stink right now." She reminded him.

"You are right as well, Tenten. That is why I have come up with a solution! Since I cannot wear the suit while it is being washed, I will buy one for every day of the week! I will work hard during the summer to save the money or else I will be rejected one hundred times as a punishment!" He smiled so broadly that she could see his gums.

"I guess that's the best we could do..." She grimaced. _'Sakura's not going to appreciate being a part of Lee's weird punishment routine…'_

"Tenten, I will miss our lively conversation while I am away. However, we are wasting valuable time!" He threw the ball aside and dropped to the floor in a deep lunge. "We must warm up!"

She let out a short laugh and followed his lead.

Only forty minutes later, she limped off the court and dropped to the grass in defeat. Lee was still practicing shooting, somehow. _'I really shouldn't be surprised. He's a physio major that works out every day. Still, no human should be standing after that…'_

The sun had risen now, she checked her watch: 6:15. Plenty of time.

"Hey Lee, want to go find some breakfast? I don't have to be at the museum 'till 8:30."

He stopped shooting and checked his own watch. "I would love to, Tenten, but I must get home soon. Master Gai is picking me up at 8:30 and I still have to pack."

"You haven't packed!?"

He clenched his fist. "No! I have challenged myself to do all my packing in one hour in order to become more efficient!"

"Liar! You left everything to the last minute!" She yelled, exasperated.

"That is not true!" He looked genuinely hurt and he probably was but she still didn't doubt that he'd procrastinated.

"Right well I'm starving so I'm going to go." She stood to leave and then realised with a pang of sadness that she wouldn't see Lee for a long time. "Lee… I'm going to miss having you around this summer."

He jogged over and enveloped her in a smelly bear hug. "The time will pass quickly, summer blossom! Until we see one another again, you may email me on The Myfacebook."

"It's facebook. Seriously, I love you but you stink." She muttered but she didn't push him away.

"One day you will appreciate my commitment to the compression suit! Oh, I forgot to tell you!" He let go of her and gave her a thumbs up. "I got an A for my physiology essay on compression treatment!"

"Oh that's great, Lee!" She was happy for him but something inside her churned at his good grades.

"How did you go? Did you excel as usual?" He grinned at her expectantly.

She swallowed. "Yeah, mostly. I'm still waiting to hear back from stats but the others went really well. My ritual piece is getting published in the school paper. Oh I got the internship, did I tell you?" She babbled.

"Yes you did, you are starting this morning." He beamed at her, oblivious to her terrible lying.

"Uh yeah, oops. Well I'd better get going I guess." She shrugged.

"Of course! Remember that you must _jog _home, not walk. It will clear the lactic acid from your muscles and ensure a quicker recovery." He gave her another thumbs up and started off down the path in opposite direction to her. "Goodbye, Tenten! Do not forget to _savour _the delights of the summer season!"

"Uh yeah, sure. Bye Lee!" She called back.

"BYE TENTEN!" He shouted, already several yards away.

She snorted but waved as she watched him round the corner before turning and jogging away herself.

* * *

She wiped the sweat out of her eyes and moved her suddenly heavy legs in a rhythmic stride. The day was warming up and the air circulating around her no longer offered as much relief as it had on the way.

She felt grateful for the loose top she had chosen to wear. It finished above her bellybutton and was more a cover for her sports bra than anything. She thought it looked kind of stylish; she imagined Ino would approve if she ever had the guts to wear it during the day. Lee was different: she'd known him too long and was convinced she could show up naked and he would barely notice.

She frowned thinking of Lee. She had hoped to avoid the topic of her grades altogether but she'd ended up lying to him as well. This was beginning to get stressful.

'_The truth will come out next semester if I don't get 90% over the summer…' _She reminded herself.

Suddenly she felt a burst of nervous energy. _'What am I going to do? I can convince the museum to let me come in late, then I can go to the early classes but there's no way I can go to all the lectures…'_

She was about to round the corner to her house when she checked her watch. '_Only 6:23? Seriously?' _She sighed. Sitting alone in her half packed room sounded terrible.

Turning, she took a detour across the field towards the botanical gardens. She hardly ever jogged there in the mornings, usually she and Lee played some sort of game or did some sort of cross fit routine that he'd concocted.

The dew had started to evaporate from the grass by the time she reached the park and around a foot of fine mist covered the ground. It felt cool around her legs.

_'That's more like it.' _She picked up her pace to match her heart which stubbornly hammered in her chest. Her thoughts drifted back to the dream. She was anxious about retaking the final exam; that much was clear. The part where Neji entered the picture made her uncomfortably excited.

She shook the thought from her head. _'So what if I want him? I don't _need _him and I certainly don't need his help. I'm not that sort of person.' _She jutted her chin out confidently.

Suddenly she spied something emerging from the mist as she jogged closer.

_'A water fountain! Thank God.' _

The water was cool as it slipped down her throat. She filled a cupped hand before splashing her face, letting the water slide freely down her neck and chest. She hummed to herself, completely content with the moment.

"Enjoying yourself?"

She jumped clean off the ground, arms jerking reflexively in front of her. "_Jesus!_ What is your problem-!?"

Hyuuga Neji stood before her, hands on hips, casually watching a droplet of water slip down the front of her shirt. Suddenly she felt very, very underdressed.

"W-what are you doing here!?" She stammered, crossing her arms over her chest.

"What does it look like?" He gestured to his outfit. He was wearing a smart silver, microfiber tank top with matching black track pants and a black headband. His skin was flushed from exertion.

"I told you I'd see you around." He smirked, panting lightly.

Her eyes snapped back to his. "_Are you stalking me?"_

He snorted. "I should ask you the same question. I come here every morning and this is the first time I've seen _you_ here."

"I had extra time this morning." She blushed, resisting the urge to pull her top down to cover her midriff.

"Of course." He gestured towards the water fountain "Now are you going to move or do I have to invade your personal space?"

She was about to step away when an impulse took her. She planted her feet, put her hand on her hips and looked him dead in the eye.

He frowned and raised an eyebrow at her.

_'Didn't see that one coming, did you Mr. Know-it-all?' _She thought triumphantly.

He looked between her and the water-fountain before fixing her with a pointed gaze and slowly lowering his head.

His hair brushed her belly causing her stomach muscles tightened in response. _I hope this doesn't trigger more dreams.' _She thought, nervousness coiling in her chest.

He took long, languid sips before looking up at her from underneath his dark brows. She swallowed but kept her features schooled in a nonchalant gaze.

Undeterred, he rose and wiped his mouth on the back of his hand. She watched the movement closely; he had long, elegant fingers. Her mind wandered to the point where the dream was cut short earlier that morning…

He lifted his chin triumphantly and she realised that her mouth was now hanging open. She snapped is shut, her cheeks heating fiercely. He raised an eyebrow at her.

_'Damn it!'_ She pursed her lips and looked away.

She felt his eyes bore into the side of her head but she pointedly ignored him.

His voice was low when he spoke. "Have you found a tutor yet? Classes start this week."

The change of subject caught her off guard and she felt a pang of shame. "That's none of your business." She huffed.

"Hm. I suppose you'll have to give up your internship now. That's too bad, I was looking forward to your exhibit."

She scoffed. "You're so full of shit."

He smirked. "You're probably right." His forearm brushed hers as he moved past her, sending a shiver up her spine. "I'll see you around, Tenten." He broke into a brisk jog.

_'Jerk!' _She gritted her teeth._ 'I bet you want me to stare at your ass right now. Well I'm not going to! Take that!' _She clenched her jaw and power-walked away.

* * *

**Oh no she DIDN'T! Stay tuned, sports fans!**


	4. Chapter 4 - Friendly Competition

**OKAY SO. I'm really sorry this is so late, I swear I haven't lost interest. You guys remain the best readers ever. I'm in France right now and I really thought I would have more time to write but a relaxing holiday turned into the BEST ADVENTURE EVER. **

**Back to business: here's a small update for you. I promise things will be back to normal soon. **

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**Chapter 4 – Competition**

Tenten stood at the foot of the stone steps, hesitant to climb them for the first time in her life. She stared up at the large banner stretching across the entryway: _'Ka-Boom! The History of Explosives'. _She'd seen it go up and had immediately approached the staff about their plans for a section on explosive and ballistic weapons. Now, it represented hours of late afternoons spent proving her worth as a rising expert in her field and she was about to march inside and give it up because somewhere, somehow her standards had slipped and she'd slammed the door in her own face.

_'That's what you get, Tenten.' _She gritted her teeth and began her ascent. _'No turning back now.'_

The foyer opened into a gaping central chamber dominated by a towering T-rex skeleton. The archways to the left and directly across opened into various exhibits. The one on the right was blocked and plastered with more red and orange posters promising "An explosive end to the summer season!"

Instead of following the smattering of early patrons through the foyer, Tenten hooked left and swiped her key card at a small, innocuous door reading _'Staff Only'_. The door clicked shut behind her she paused, hands poised ready to hang the lanyard on her neck, before swallowing and stuffing it back into her pocket instead.

Dr. Nagamoto's office was located down the hall and up five floors. Plenty of time to feel sorry for herself before she threw in the towel. She was hoping not to run into anyone on the way but fate had other plans for her: some weirdo was waiting for the elevator as she got there.

She'd never seen him at the museum before. In fact, she was confident she'd never seen anyone like him in her entire life: He was blonde, around four inches taller than her and rake thin wearing a brown midriff t-shirt over a mesh top and black cargo pants tucked into polished, cherry red Doc Martin boots. Some of his hair was in a high ponytail but most of it flopped over his left eye, completely obscuring it. His right eye was frosty blue, ringed with eyeliner and looking straight at her. She jumped involuntarily and looked away.

"It's rude to stare, yeah?" His voice was low and flat.

"Uuh yeah."

"See anything you like?" He drawled.

She snorted. "In your dreams."

"You're not very polite, hm?" She didn't need to face him to hear the smirk in his voice.

_'I don't need this right now…' _She cursed the archaic elevator for taking so damn long.

She was about to take the stairs when his hand appeared in front of her. "I'll help you out. I'm Deidara, professional artist. My specialty is things that go boom."

She snapped her head to look at him. "You're with the explosives exhibit."

He _was_ smirking. "Guilty as charged."

She couldn't decide if it was just her bad mood or if there was something off about this guy. She hesitated a little longer before shaking his hand.

A barely audible bell sounded signalling the arrival of the elevator. She looked at Deidara sideways and awkwardly gestured for him to enter first.

He breezed past her and pressed a button before leaning casually on the mirrored back. She followed and noticed that the fifth floor button was already lit.

"Are you going to see Dr. Nagamoto?" She enquired.

"Right on, Sherlock." He looked at her sideways. "You never introduced yourself. That's rude as well, hm? I'm getting a little offended." He didn't look offended.

She bit back a sigh. "Tenten. I study the history and culture of weapons." She muttered.

He raised his eyebrows in mock surprise. "Weaponry? That's a broad field. I suppose you're with the explosives exhibit as well, Hm? Are you on of the ones organising the little movie nights in the courtyard?"

She turned to glare at him. "There's no 'movie night'. There is, however, a holographic display showing the history of bombs in war machines." She quipped.

"You seem like a fun girl." He said sarcastically. "I bet you'd enjoy the competition, yeah?"

A feeling of dread washed over her. "What competition?"

"I'm the competition, girly." He smiled sardonically. "I have a vision of a spectacular fireworks display showing the fleeting beauty of a blast." He swept his arms in front of them as if he could see the sparks and technicolour glitter in the little elevator car.

"The kind of show where everyone wishes it didn't have to end." He looked down his nose at her. "Your dowdy play going on in the background would ruin the atmosphere. Hn, what a downer."

She stared with narrowed eyes and clenched fists. She opened her mouth to rebuke him when a chime sounded and the doors opened.

She gave him one more sour look before marching out and starting down the hall to Dr. Nagamoto's office. Suddenly he was power walking beside her, a smug grin spreading across his face. She walked faster and he caught up and passed in front of her.

_'Jerk.'_

She clenched her jaw and quickened her pace, darting between him and the wall and passing in front of him. Suddenly, something took her left foot out from underneath her and she tumbled to the floor.

"Oof! Hey!" She hissed.

He hopped over her and kept up his brisk pace, poking his tongue at her over his shoulder.

_'Oh it is on.' _She jumped to her feet and broke into a run, thanking her cloth slippers for being quiet.

She dashed past him again and heard him let out an annoyed grunt before the heavy clomping sound of his boots began to catch up with her. He shouldered her but she was prepared this time and dodged most of the impact before shoving him in the gut.

She heard the air leave his lungs and made a run for Dr. Nagamoto's door which was now within reach at the end of the hall. Before she made it she heard him catch up to her again. She was about to turn the handle when her head jerked back suddenly as he pulled her away from the door by one of her buns.

She let out a high pitched noise as he grabbed her around her waist and wrestled her to the ground. She gritted her teeth to keep from screaming at him as he manhandled her away from the door.

She swung wildly and her wrist caught him across the side of his nose. He brought a hand to his face, cuffing her hard across the mouth as he did. She flinched backward and sat in shock for a moment, limbs splayed awkwardly around her.

Deidara didn't. He stood and gave her a dead eyed look before moving to open the door.

Her wits returning, she noticed his car keys hanging from a chain attached to his pants. In one smooth movement, she lunged from them, unclipped the chain and threw them out the open window at the end of the hall.

The air was still for a moment until a faint 'chink' sound heralded the keys' arrival in the courtyard below. Deidara looked between her and the window. He opened his mouth to shout at her but she put one finger to her lips and indicated to the closed doors with mocking raised eyebrows. Abruptly, his face contorting into a mask of rage.

A small wisp of fear curled in her gut but she pushed it down, hopping to her feet and marching over to the door and brushing him aside before pulling it open. She didn't have the guts to look back before she shut the door behind her but she still called it a victory.

"Tenten? What on earth is going on?" Doctor Nagamoto's was seated at his desk, round face fixed in a shocked expression. Tis eyes were magnified further by his bottle-thick glasses.

"Oh… um…" Reality rushed back to her and she realised that she was standing in front of her internship director with lopsided hair, rumpled clothes and a swollen lip after getting into a fight with a fellow employee. She gulped. "I… tripped in the hall?"

He blinked at her uncertainly. "Oh…I… was wondering what that noise was. Are you okay?"

She felt for her left bun which was now lolling down behind her ear and shrugged casually. "Yep."

He blinked at her and gestured to a chair. She sat awkwardly.

"So… to what do I owe the pleasure?" He eyed her. "Or would I rather not know?"

Suddenly she remembered why she had come. "Oh!" Her heart plummeted into her gut.

Deidara would be so smug when he found out.

"I came here to inform you that…"

The Doctor would probably be impressed with his theatrics and charisma.

"…well it's difficult to say this but…"

Her beautiful holographic show would be moved inside and ignored while everyone went outside to watch some meaningless fireworks show.

The words caught in her throat and Dr. Nagamoto looked at her with perplexed concern.

"What is it, Tenten?"

_No. _She couldn't let it go down like this. "I'm really looking forward to working with you this summer."

He blinked. "That was difficult for you to say?"

She opened and closed her mouth like a goldfish. "W-well I'm not really good at emotional stuff…"

He shrugged gave a sideways nod. "Ah. I suppose that's true." He clasped his hands on his desk in front of him. "I suppose I am the same way. I'm… sure it will be a pleasure working with your talents as well." He added, awkwardly.

She straightened her back and gave a short sigh of relief before plastering a smile on her face. "Well, I'd better go! Lots to get done!"

He straightened as well, equally eager to be rid of the conversation. He stood and offered her his hand. She stood and took it.

"Welcome to the team, Tenten." He smiled.

"Thank you, sir." She replied and moved to leave.

"One more thing, Tenten."

She gulped. "Yes?"

"Don't forget to wear your I.D. badge around your neck at all times so people know you belong here."

The words _'You belong here' _repeated in her head. She took the lanyard from her pocket and slipped it over her head. She eyed it proudly on her chest before turning back to Nagamoto.

"Thank you, sir."

Outside in the hall, Deidara was leaning against the wall. She noted with a thrill of triumph that there was some dried blood in his left nostril. His ice blue eye followed her as she slowly walked away, determined not to show weakness.

The elevator was blessedly quick to arrive and she marched inside before letting out the breath she'd been holding.

_'I guess I'm going to need Hyuuga Neji's help after all…'_

As if on cue, the cubicle went dark and the elevator stopped abruptly. She froze in fear until a security light came on, flooding the box with a red glow. She sighed and moved to the emergency phone, an old fashioned handset attached to the wall above the buttons.

She lifted it to her ear but there was no tone. Something flicked her lip. She looked down at the speaker: a small piece of paper was taped to it. A drawing of a frowny face with hair brushed over one eye stuck its tongue out at her.

"Son of a bitch."

* * *

**Tenten has made her choice! I guess it's not really a surprise. It would have been a really boring story if she had been all responsible and gone "Welp soz I need to focus on fixing my grades kbye." Moral: responsible people are boring but almost never get stuck in elevators. **

**Stay classy!**

P.S. Sorry to the two or three people who saw my first attempt to upload this chapter. Something spazzed out!


	5. Chapter 5 - No Weird Stuff

**New chapter! **

**Question: I made a brand spanking new tumblr and I was thinking of using it to post chapter teasers and previews, would you guys be interested in that? I also draw (including some pictures from this fic) and I suppose I could post pictures and take requests and all that jazz. PM me or let me know in a review or something! **

* * *

**Chapter 5 – No Weird Stuff**

Tenten jogged through the park, trying to remember the path she'd taken the last time she'd run into Neji. She'd considered calling him but something told her it was against social convention to propose a sexual relationship over the phone.

Not relationship. Exchange? Association? Trade?

She missed Lee in that moment. It had occurred to her that she had never kept anything from him in her life and she was both starving for and terrified of his opinion.

It didn't help that she hadn't slept much the night before. It was partly due to her anxiety about her current task but mostly because of the awful day she'd had. It had taken almost three hours for emergency services to extract her from the elevator, God knows what Deidara had done to it. By the time she was out she was nerve-rackingly behind on her work and had had to stay late into the evening to get everything done.

She slowed to a walk to catch her breath. She was feeling less and less in the mood to deal with Neji's detective bullshit but she was almost certain that if she went home now she would chicken out altogether.

_'Where is he? Of all the times to not appear out of nowhere and scare the shit out of me.' _

Further from the path she could just barely see someone underneath a tree doing what looked like some sort of very slow dance. She only had to walk a little closer to confirm that it was him.

"Hey, Neji!"

He'd had to have heard her but he didn't interrupt his weird routine to confirm it. She inched forward, her nerves betraying her. It occurred to her that what he was doing was actually quite beautiful.

He was standing with one foot bent back behind him and one stretched out in front while he swept his arms in a pattern that was both languid and precise. Occasionally he would lift a foot and re-position himself in a graceful turn. It reminded her of martial arts slowed right down.

Then bent at the side fanned his arms out so slowly that it made her own abs hurt just to watch him.

_ 'Wow… He must have killer obliques.' _She bit her lip.

"I find myself less inclined to believe that you're not stalking me, Tenten."

She snapped out of her fantasy with a huff. "You know perfectly well this is me approaching you directly. If I was stalking you, I'd be hiding in a bush or something and you wouldn't know I was there."

"Unlikely."

She rolled her eyes. "Look, I wanted to talk to you… about your… offer."

He continued with his exercise, not even opening his eyes. "I don't recall making you an offer."

"Cut the shit, Neji, I'm serious."

"So am I. You approached me asking about an arrangement I had with another student and I described it to you. I never offered you a similar one."

"O-oh…" She reached back into her memory of that day. It was true, he hadn't really offered her anything had he? She felt a little stupid, a running theme when she was around Neji.

"However, I may be open to hearing any offers you have to make."

She stared dumbly at him. _'Is this some sort of lawyer trick? It feels like a trap.' _She took a deep breath and looked around: the park was empty. _'I don't have a choice. Here goes nothing.'_

"I would like you to tutor me in exchange for sexual experience."

"In exchange for what?"

"Sexual experience! I will help you with your girl problems! Okay!?" Her face felt like it was going to catch on fire.

He had the gall to spend a few moments considering her proposal, still engaged in his weird kung-fu dance moves as he did. "We may be able to negotiate something."

She let out a slow, frustrated breath. "Here's some advice on the house. This-" She gestured towards him. "-whole jerk act is not a turn on."

He cracked an eye open and trained it on her finally pausing to run it down her body, apparently a habit of his. She was simultaneously grateful and disappointed that she'd ditched the compression short and dinky top in favour of track shorts and a baggy t-shirt.

"Is that so?"

"Yes." She folded her arms.

"I see." He stood and stretched gracefully before turning his full attention to her.

"What does turn you on, Tenten?"

Her mouth dropped open at his question. She was about to throw her retort in his face but the words died in her throat when she noticed he was closing the gap between them.

"It has often been asserted that I lack the qualities that normally endear people to one another." She could feel his breath on her lips as she spoke and resisted the urge to dart her tongue out to moisten them.

"But, what I lack in social graces have learned to make up for with observation."

His proximity gave her the opportunity to analyse his strange eyes. They were more pale purple than white, she decided. He held her gaze while she did so before continuing.

"For example, your pupils are currently dilated. Since we are no longer in low light conditions, it follows that you are currently in a state of arousal."

She tensed, her heart hammering in her chest. She wanted to tell him that she was infuriated, not _aroused_ but that felt like a lie in her head. Was she really turned on right now?

She didn't have time to decide before he leaned forward to whisper in her ear. "If I'm going to agree to your proposal, Tenten, we're going to have to agree not to lie to one another."

A tickle of excitement skittered through her chest and suddenly she felt short of breath. He_ was_ a jerk but she definitely wanted him anyway.

_'Damn.'_ At least she wouldn't have to fake it…

He stepped away from her and she shivered from the loss of warmth. "If you are available tonight you may visit me at my room to discuss the particulars."

"Actually, I have time now if you don't mind."

He smirked. "Eager?"

"Don't flatter yourself. I'm on a time limit." She lied before turning on her heel and jogging back towards the dorms.

* * *

Now that they were back in his apartment her nerves had completely overcome the buzz she'd felt at the park. It was difficult to keep from glancing over at the bed in the corner.

_'What if he wants a… down payment…?' _

She kept her eyes trained on her teacup and watched the tea leaves swirl languidly in the bottom of the small teacup.

"Are you going to drink it or tell my fortune with it?"

"I'm not sure if it's a good idea to drink anything you give me."

"Are you implying that I would drug you?"

"I'm not implying it."

He paused, considering her. "You're being facetious."

When she didn't reply she heard him sigh and move to sit across from her.

"You're nervous."

"You can't understand why?"

"Not given your audacity at the park. It was your idea to come here."

"So you keep saying."

She heard him sigh quietly before his chair skidded across the floorboards and he walked towards his desk. He opened and closed a drawer and then a manila folder appeared on the table in her periphery.

"A simple symbiotic arrangement: my mind in exchange for your body. I will perform my duties as tutor to the extent outlined henceforth so long as you provide feedback on our… sexual activity. Think of it as an exchange of knowledge.

"Contained within the folder is a liability waiver, a confidentiality agreement and a general agreement outlining the terms. Feel free to suggest any changes you would like. I will require you to sign all three in duplicate."

She blinked at the folder in front of her. It was as thick as her pinkie.

"A contract? You have got to be joking."

"I'm a law major. I never joke about contracts." He deadpanned.

"You're so full of it. You knew I'd be back, didn't you?" She looked up to see him smirking at her. _'Bastard!'_

She kept the folder at arm's length as she flipped it open. Suddenly something occurred to her to make her drop the cover closed. "Wait a second, does this thing actually contractually obligate me to _have sex with you?_"

He seemed to have been anticipating her question. "No, that would not be legally enforceable. The contract does not obligate you to perform any specific act but rather states that you agree that if you cease to provide your services then I will cease to perform my role as tutor. The confidentiality agreement ought to be self-explanatory and the liability waiver states that you approached me, were aware of what was to be expected and were not coerced into the agreement in any way."

"I bet you don't have many friends."

He brushed off her comment. "Read both documents carefully, I will answer any questions you may have. Until they are signed you may coordinate with me to come and read them at any point in the meantime."

"That's very thoughtful but I'd rather just get this over with." She continued her perusal.

The first two seemed innocuous enough: the contract was as he described. The confidentiality agreement stated that both of them would keep their mouths shut under any and all circumstances.

The liability waiver, however, was a long, embarrassingly detailed list of sexual acts that she would state that she understood and was aware of in advance of the commencement of the arrangement.

"Someone's got an active imagination…" She cringed.

"I assume you are referring to the liability waiver. The result of exhaustive research."

"I bet it was 'exhaustive'… Are you really planning on doing all this stuff?"

"No. I merely feel it prudent to be thorough."

She pursed her lips. "Give me a pen."

He handed her a slick black ballpoint from his desk. She flipped back a few pages and scratched out everything with the word 'anal' in it. In the margin she wrote _'NO BUTT STUFF.' _and underlined it several times.

Reading further she came to some very _specific _acts.

"Oh Christ, Neji! What the fuck!" She slid the document away from her. "There's no way in hell you actually WANT to do all of this crap, is there?" She turned to cast him an incredulous look.

He was impassive as ever. "It's not about what _I _want."

She raised an eyebrow at him. _'That's actually not the worst thing I've heard from a potential sexual partner.' _Then it occurred to her that all this wasn't about what _she _wanted either.

It was about What's-her-name.

Something in her heart hardened. She grabbed at the waiver, scribbling a few more things across it and drawing a long diagonal line through the entire last page. She wrote 'NO.' over the top for good measure.

She paused to admire her work. "So… do we sign it now?"

He stared at her scrawl as if it would infect him if he touched it. "I would prefer to rewrite the liability waiver."

She considered it before shrugging. "Fine, but I want to get this all done by the end of the day."

"Would seven tonight be adequate?"

She nodded.

"Very well. Upon signing the contract I will present you with your lesson plan and we will begin." He neatened the stack of papers and slid them back into the folder before standing and offering her his hand.

She shook it and felt a mix of dread and excitement build in her gut. _'I hope you know what you're doing, Tenten.'_

* * *

**Hope you liked this one, the next one won't be finished until next week at the earliest; I just started a new job. Being an adult is hard.**


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